The Ice Cream Man
by Amber Krueger
Summary: The Devil assigns Sam a new escaped soul. Ted assigns Sam a trainee at The Work Bench. The Devil and Ted both are nagging Sam on how he's been slacking on the job, and his friends aren't being much of a help either. How will things work out in the end?


"Morning sunshine." The Devil peered down at Sam, who was still sleeping.

"Up and at 'em, kiddo." The Devil clapped his hands and suddenly a Python materialized around Sam's neck.

Sam's eyes shot open and he screamed, clawing at the snake as he rolled off the bed.

The Devil snickered as he watched Sam fight the coiling snake, in amusement.

What a great way to start off the day, he thought.

Sam quickly jumped to his feet and the snake disappeared.

"Well, what do you know? He's awake!" Lucifer smiled, taking a step closer to his reaper.

"Why do you do that?!" Sam cried, gaping at his boss in bewilderment, (even though in the very back of his mind, he wasn't surprised at all).

Sam sighed and scrubbed his fingers through his hair and sat on the edge of the bed.

"You've got to stop slackin' Sammy. I know Sloth is one of my seven favorites, but I won't allow it on my time." The Devil placed a vessel box onto the bed.

Motioning toward the box, Sam lifted his head to find the Devil was gone.

Sock shelved the last bottle of W-D 40 and then sloppily sat down on the floor cross-legged, next to Ben who sat on a stepstool, whilst Sam stocked motor oil in the next aisle.

After finishing, he made his way into the aisle where Sock and Ben sat lazily.

"Well, The Devil was at our apartment this morning. I guess now I have my own personal, Satanic wake up call." He stuffed his hands into his pockets and leaned against a work ladder.

"Aw, Devil's pet." Sock laughed and snapped a rubber band at Sam.

"Ha, ha. Very funny. No, he's nagging me on being lazy. You'd think that he of all people wouldn't care."

Ben chimed in, "Well, to be honest Sam, you have been a little sluggish lately. I mean, your room... isn't exactly clean."

"Ok, mom. I'll make sure to clean it up right after school!" Sam huffed sarcastically.

"Hey guys" Andi walked up to Sam and pecked him on the cheek.

"Hey" Sam smiled.

Sock made smacking noises and Ben hummed the wedding march.

Andi scoffed, "So what's up for tonight?" She pulled her hair back into a pony-tail.

"I dunno. The Devil gave me the vessel, so I'm guessing he wants me to catch another escaped soul." Sam sighed.

"Oh joy." Andi said.

"Did you open it yet?" Sock got to his feet and stretched.

"Nope." Sam said as he yawned.

"Y'know if he doesn't like me being so lazy, then he needs to give me a break. I put my life on the line to catch these souls and then I have to work here. I give new meaning to the saying 'my life is hell'" Sam complained, and added "I really don't need this."

"Sam Oliver, please report to the manager's office; Sam Oliver, manager's office."

Ted's voice echoed from over the PA system. "Whoop-de-doo." Sam dragged his feet on the way to Ted's office.

Passing the electronics, he paused. "What the-" He looked down the DVD aisle and saw the Devil reading the back of a DVD cover.

Sam rushed down the aisle, half-way there he found himself in a cul-de-sac.

"What now?" Sam bellowed. "Hello to you too, Sammy." Satan dusted off his suit and crossed his arms.

"See that?" He pointed to an ice cream truck that sat idly in the center of the cul-de-sac.

Children flocked around it, the sound of their chatters and laughter overwhelming the familiar melody that blared from the trucks speakers.

"Another soul?"

The Devil nodded, gesturing his hand at the ice cream man.

"Roger Art. He was an ice cream man back in the 50's. To say the least, he handed out ice cream poisoned with cyanide. Pretty sick, isn't it?" He chuckled.

"Yeah" Sam agreed, studying what little of the soul's face he could see from over the crowd of children.

"Too bad for the kids who got the poisoned ones." The Devil smiled his usual creepy grin and Sam found himself back in the electronics, holding a DVD up to his face. He shook his head, disregarding the DVD, putting it back where he assumed it came from, and then looked down to the vessel box at his feet.

"Oh c'mon." Sam whined.

He picked it up and opened it to reveal an ice cream scoop. He jammed it into his back pocket and advanced to Ted's office.

"Sam." Ted swiveled in his chair to face Sam.

"Hey… Ted, what's up?"

"Sit." Ted gestured toward the chair next to Sam.

Sam took a seat, only to listen to what he predicted to be another drawn out lecture.

"I've noticed that you seem to be a little tired lately, Sam. So, I've taken it upon myself to hire another employee. Her name is Monica and she's 19. You'll be training her for the day." Ted smiled.

Sam ran his hand over his hair and sighed.

"Ok... where is she?" He asked. "Oh, is waiting for you in the break room." Ted stood up and walked Sam out.

"She's the one with the black, wavy hair, can't miss her... if you know what I mean." He winked and gave Sam a slight push toward the break room.

Great, just what I need... a trainee, Sam thought.

Monica sat at a table in the break room and sipped at a can of Coca Cola.

"Hey, uh… Monica?" Sam stepped into the break room.

"Oh, hi. Yep, that's me. You must be..."

"Sam"

They shook hands and Monica smiled at him. She was about the same height, maybe a little bit shorter.

"Nice to meet somebody... normal." Monica laughed.

"Ted is a bit..."

"Weird?" Sam finished for her.

"Yeah, weird. Exactly." She laughed again and peered out the door.

"Well, I guess we better get to work, eh?" She suggested.

"Yeah" Sam lead her to where Sock, Ben and Andi were.

"Hey guys, this is Monica, I'll be training her today." Monica waved and smiled.

"Hi" She said quietly.

Sock skipped over to her and giggled. "Fresh meat!" He sniffed her hair. Andi punched Sock in the shoulder.

"Don't mind him. He's always like that." Andi walked Monica over by Ben.

"Yeah, Sock is a bit... hyper." Ben added.

"Sock?" Monica snickered.

"Hey, don't be a racist against foreign names!" Sock sneered.

Monica arched a brow.

"Monica, this is Ben, Sock and my girlfriend, Andi." Sam introduced them.

"So, let's start your training." Sam sat down next to Ben and tossed Monica a beer from Sock's new AC/DC fanny pack.

"Drink up." Sock handed one to Ben.

"Thanks, but I don't drink." Monica tossed the beer back to Sam.

Sock gasped, "don't dare insult the poor little beer like that!"

He grabbed the beer from Sam and pet it as if he were Dr. Evil the beer, his cat Mr. Bigglesworth.

"Yeah... I'm only 19. And I don't like beer." She stuck out her tongue.

"In-de-pendent." Ben took a chug from the can.

"And on a diet." Monica chuckled.

"Hey you want to hang out with us after work?" Sam asked her.

"Sure. Where at?" Monica said.

2

Sam pulled out the ice cream scoop from his back pocket and analyzed it.

"So, how do you think it works?" He flopped onto the couch.

"Maybe you just scoop him up!" Sock joked.

"Or maybe a laser beam shoots out and melts the guy." Ben suggested.

Sam pressed the thumb trigger which moved the tiny bar within the scoop from one edge of the inverted dome to the other.

"Well, either way we're just gonna have to wait and see, I guess." He shook his head and stood up.

"Then let's move it before the lord of darkness chews you a new hole, Sam." Sock hopped to his feet and slightly pushed Sam to the door, Ben followed behind.

Sam shoved the vessel back into his pocket, "Hey, now that you're back with Josie, she won't hassle us if we pay her a little visit at work. Right?"

Sam parked in front of the municipal building in his green Prius.

They all withdrew from the car and made their way up the steps, meeting Josie at the door.

"Hey sexy."

Sock grabbed Josie by her shoulders. "Sock!" She giggled and pushed him away.

"Not at work." She gave him a look and then lead them into her office.

"Ok. Hurry it up Sam, if my boss catches you guys here..."

Sam opened Internet Explorer and typed in "Roger Art" into the search bar.

"It says here that Roger Art was murdered by Melinda Parks." He fixed his eyes on the article from a 1960's news paper.

"Revenge?" Ben looked at Sock, who was fondling Josie.

He rolled his eyes and turned back to Sam.

"Ok... it says that she forced him to eat his own poison, for poisoning her son... Andrew." Sam looked up Melinda Parks.

"Twis-ted." Sock murmured while kissing Josie.

"Get serious Sock!" Sam smacked him in the back of the head.

"Ow! That almost hurt." Sock frowned.

"Alright. Turns out Melinda Parks is dead... but she does have a living relative here..." Sam started.

"Allen Parks, he lives just a few miles from here. Let's go."

"I'll see you and... Grumpy tonight." Josie smiled and winked at Sock.

He laughed as he followed Sam and Ben out.

They got back into the car, "I'm guessing the escaped soul is gonna being looking for Allen Parks, we better get to him first."

Sam buckled up and started the car.

Suddenly wild sirens blared from down the street, and then an ambulance flew by at full speed.

Sam put the car in drive and followed it.

Once it came to a stop, Sam parked a couple blocks away and watched.

"You think it's the work of our little escapee?" Ben asked.

"Possibly." Sam leaned forward and got a good look at who was being put on a stretcher.

A little boy, about 9 or 10 years old. Soon a news truck drove past them and into the crime scene.

Another stretcher, and this time it carried a little girl about the same age.

"Oh man..." Sam frowned,

"We got to find this guy before he kills anymore kids."

They drove off.

3

Monica finished her shift and was about to leave the Work Bench.

As she walked out the door, Ted stopped her in her tracks.

"Hey, Monica wait up!" He caught up with her.

"Hey Ted, what's up?" She hooked her thumbs into her jean pockets.

"I was just wondering if maybe you didn't have plans tonight, maybe I could take you to dinner?"

"Uh... I can't Ted. Sorry, I already made plans. Maybe some other time."

Monica continued to her car.

"Sorry!" She called back and waved at him as he stood alone in disappointment.

She snickered at the thought of her dating Ted.

It was just too out there.

As she got into her car, she sighed heavily before putting the key into the ignition and starting the engine.

She punched the on/off button on her radio and a blast of heavy metal throbbed from the speakers. She put the car in drive and pressed on the gas, before she knew it she was out of the Work Dump and onto the open road.

4

Sam pulled in front of a house, and got out. He glanced at a small piece of paper and then at the address on the mail box.

627 Market Circle.

"Yep, this is it." Sam motioned for Sock and Ben to get out of the car.

Just as they shut the doors an ice cream truck slowly turned the corner and into the cul-de-sac of Market Circle.

"Oh Sh--" Sam ducked Sock and Ben down behind the car.

Roger Art stepped out of the truck and he slowly walked toward the house Sam, Sock and Ben were parked in front of.

His arms turned into two oversized syringes filled with a clear fluid.

"Oh my God." Sam whispered staring in awe.

"This my friends, is why I hate needles!" Sock whimpered and hid under Ben's arm.

Ben ogled at Sam, his glance slithering onto Roger Art, who neared their car.

"Sam get the vessel!" Ben cried as Sam reached for his back pocket.

He whipped out the scoop and wielded it in front of him.

"Here goes nothing." Sam said as he stood, "Hey cream face!" he called out, hearing that out loud did not sound as good as it did in his mind.

Art turned his head to face Sam and his eyes glowed red with rage.

"Oh boy..." Sam looked at the vessel, "come on! Please do something..." He shook it, pressing the thumb trigger rapidly until suddenly the little bar inside moved faster and faster, spinning until it wasn't visible anymore.

A purple streak of light zapped like an elongated light saber, and penetrated Roger Art in the chest, sucking him into what appeared to be a swirling vortex within the scoop's core.

Once he was trapped inside the spoon immediately stopped and the vortex disintegrated into nothing.

"Whoa." Sam gazed at it in amazement.

"Dude!" Sock jumped up and ran toward Sam.

"That was so awesome! Do it again!" He laughed and Ben kept his stare fixated on the vessel.

A droplet of liquid trickled down the handle of the ice cream scoop, and fell onto the pavement.

It melted away under the heat of the late evening sun, that was setting behind tall silhouetted trees in the afar.

A quick trip to see Gladys at the DMV and the deed is done... for now.

5

"So this is what you guys do every night?" Monica took a sip from her Coke with lime.

"Yep, pretty much." Sam glanced at Sock, who had left with Josie to the bar for another drink, and Andi departed for the bathroom.

"Intresting." She laughed and an older man walked up to the table and placed his hand on Sam's shoulder. He quickly got Monica's attention and flashed her a toothy smile.

"Hey Sammmy, who's your new friend?" He grinned, now facing Monica.

Sam hesitated, failing to get the words out of his mouth. Monica looked at Sam and raised an eye brow, "I'm Monica. Nice to meet you...?" She held out her hand to shake the man's.

"Jerry." He shook Monica's hand and smiled.

Sam grabbed Jerry by the arm and pulled him aside.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Aw, don't worry Sammy, I am just introducing myself."

The Devil grinned, his eyes boring into Sam's. He peered over his shoulder, taking a brief glance at Monica. He waved and then turned back to Sam.

"No... you're flirting with her?!" He seemed almost embarrassed at the thought of it.

"Oh please, don't be so naive."

Naive? She's only 19! Sam thought.

"Oh my God, you are!"

"Hey, what'd I say about the G word?"

Lucifer pivoted to face Monica again, but she wasn't there.

"Talking about me, are you?" Monica poked Sam on the shoulder from behind. Sam and Jerry looked at each other.

"No. Of course not." Sam shifted his eyes to the Devil and frowned.

"Monica, how about I buy you a drink?" Jerry put his arm around her and walked her over to the bar.

"Oh, no thanks. I don't drink... alcohol. But you can get me another Coke with lime." She smiled sneakily, shaking the empty soda glass in front of him. The Devil glanced over his shoulder at Sam and winked.

Sock and Josie returned to the table, Andi followed behind.

Sam sat back down and buried his head in his hands.

"Where's Monica?" Sock asked.

"Ah... she went off with... Jerry." Sam sighed.

"Holy monkey crap! Are you serious?" Sock began to laugh hysterically.

"What's so funny?" Josie shoved Sock.

"Oh, nothing. Nothing..."

"Well, I guess the lord of darkness found his new girl." Sock laughed again.

"She's got the hair for the job." Sam agreed.

Monica walked back over to the table.

"Sam, I'm sorry but I gotta go... your friend Jerry is having a party up town and he invited me. I'd ask you to come, but... I'm not going to." She laughed and went back with Jerry and they left in Jerry's Lamborghini Diablo.

"AW, GROSS!" Sam laid his face on the table and folded his arms across his head.

Sock nearly fell out of his chair laughing, almost choking on his own tongue.

Andi only stared at them and took a sip from her Martini.

"Jerry? Do I even want to know?" She asked Sam with the glass up to her lips.

Sam looked up at her and then back to the table.

"No. Trust me, just… no."

"Ok…" Andi laughed and took another drink from her Martini.


End file.
